Forgiveness in Islam has very broad meanings. Being Muslim we believe that forgiveness is an excellence of Allah SWT. The way Allah SWT forgives us for our mistakes, we should also forgive the person who has done wrong with us or, knowingly or unknowingly we can also do something wrong to anyone because no one is perfect in this world.
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There are two things about forgiveness.
- a) To forgive someone for their mistake
- b) To ask someone to forgive you on you mistake
Egoistic human nature doesn’t allow us to easily go for any of them. The situation burdened your heart and you start thinking about your dignity.
For this purpose we should first ask forgiveness from Allah SWT. Because in Islam mostly mistakes or wrongdoings come in the category of sin. When we pray to Allah SWT silently, no one is between us. We talk freely to our Lord. It purifies our soul and heart from any kind of burden.
This thing gives us courage to ask forgiveness from the one we did wrong to him. If we do something wrong we should realize our mistake with a broad mind. We should never hesitate to say sorry and shake hands with him.
In Islam, forgiveness has great rewards. Allah SWT says in Quran,
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا ٱدْخُلُوا۟ هَـٰذِهِ ٱلْقَرْيَةَ فَكُلُوا۟ مِنْهَا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمْ رَغَدًۭا وَٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْبَابَ سُجَّدًۭا وَقُولُوا۟ حِطَّةٌۭ نَّغْفِرْ لَكُمْ خَطَـٰيَـٰكُمْ ۚ وَسَنَزِيدُ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ ٥٨
Translation
“And remember when we said, enter this city and eat freely from wherever you please, enter the gate with humility, saying, ‘absolve us’. We will forgive your sins and multiply the reward for the good doers”.
(Quran 2: 58)
Islam never encourages its followers to take revenge. Rather it teaches us patience, tolerance and brotherhood. This is the only way to sustain unity between the Ummah of Holy Prophet Muhammad SAWW.
Muhammad PBUH said once,
“I guarantee a house in Jannah for one who gives up arguing. Even if he is in the right. And I guarantee a house in the middle of Jannah for one who abandons lying even for the sake of fun. And I guarantee a house in the highest part of Jannah for one who has good manners”.
(Abu Dawud)
We all face many challenges and differences in our daily life. One cannot think the same like others. In such situations, Islamic teachings give us relief, spiritual and physical benefit with respect. The need is just to follow the Sunnah and teachings of the Quran in our daily life. If you want to apologize to someone, send him some gifts, with a sorry card.
It will give you magical results in your relationship. Or you can visit his house and greet him with a beautiful smile. It is just as simple as saying. Just keep your ego away for a few moments. And the outcome will be amazing. Confessing your guilt is so much dear to Allah Almighty.
In the same way if someone asks forgiveness from you, forgive him/her immediately like you expect Allah will forgive your sins. In the Quran Allah has mentioned many times that “your Lord is Forgiving and Merciful”. So being a pious Muslim or kind Muslim, we should also take these qualities.
Allah SWT says in Quran,
وَلَا يَأْتَلِ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْفَضْلِ مِنكُمْ وَٱلسَّعَةِ أَن يُؤْتُوٓا۟ أُو۟لِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينَ وَٱلْمُهَـٰجِرِينَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَلْيَعْفُوا۟ وَلْيَصْفَحُوٓا۟ ۗ أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَن يَغْفِرَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌ ٢٢
Translation
“Do not let the people of virtue and affluence among you swear to suspend donation to their relatives, the needy and the emigrants in the cause of Allah. Let them pardon and forgive. Do you not love to be forgiven by Allah? And Allah is all forgiving, most Merciful”
(Quran 24: 22)
Psychology says that by forgiving someone who did wrong to you, gives you inner peace and happiness. It is a worldly benefit. But in the life hereafter, there are countless rewards Allah SWT will grant us for this deed.
Dua for Forgiveness
There are not any specific words to ask forgiveness from Allah Almighty. Sometimes just one drop of tear in front of Allah SWT is enough to erase all your sins and wrongdoings. You will feel closer to Allah SWT by making a promise to not repeat the same mistake.
Somehow Prophet Muhammad SAWW taught us some supplications to ask forgiveness from Allah Almighty.
اسْتَغْفِرُ اللّهَ رَبِّىْ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ اَذْنَبْتُه عَمَدًا اَوْ خَطَاً سِرًّا اَوْ عَلَانِيَةً وَاَتُوْبُ اِلَيْهِ مِنْ الذَّنْبِ الَّذِىْ اَعْلَمُ وَ مِنْ الذَّنْبِ الَّذِىْ لا اَعْلَمُ اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الغُيُوْبِ وَ سَتَّارُ الْعُيُوْبِ و َغَفَّارُ الذُّنُوْبِ وَ لا حَوْلَ وَلا قُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللّهِ الْعَلِىِّ العَظِيْم
Translation
“I seek forgiveness from Allah, my Lord, from every sin I committed knowingly or unknowingly, secretly or openly, and I turn towards Him from the sin that I know and from the sin that I do not know. Certainly You (are) the knower of the hidden things and the Concealer (of) the mistakes and the Forgiver (of) the sins. And (there is) no power and no strength except from Allah, the Most High, the Most Great”.
May Allah SWT show us the right path. The path of His forgiveness and blessings. Ameen